Private Communist Times & Statue Park visit

The way it was comrade!

DURATION: 3.5 - 4 hours

WHEN:
All year round daily - 9:30, 14:30

The way it was comrade!
Go back to the good old times when we drove Trabants, drank spirits at work, lived in blocks of flats, stood in banana lines, had two passports, coupon books, no TV on Mondays and no freedom of speech! Experience the build up to 1956 Uprising, follow the marches, re-live the battles, hear the stories!

2018 Rates

Inclusions: Private professional English speaking guide, private transfer to Statue Park and back, entry and guided tour of the Statue Park and visit our own private exhibition room. Refreshment stop in a retro lounge.

Exclusions: Food and beverages, transport from the end point, gratuity/tip.

When

All year round daily - 9:30, 14:30

Meeting Point

At your accommodation.
If your accomodation is not centrally located, the the meeting point will be at the Absolute Tour Centre - 1065 Budapest, Lázár utca 16 or at a previously agreed point.
Conclusion Point: In center of the city, close to public transport connections

Full Tour Description

Duration: 4 hours

We summarize how it all started, how Big Brother told us what to do and what not to do. We'll teach you about how life was like behind the Iron Curtain. You'll find out how children were brought up, how families lived, how we traveled, where we could travel, how long it took to get a passport and many other interesting experiences from black markets to banana lines.

At the start of the tour we go out to the famous outdoor Statue Park by private car (where we put all the communist statues after our change in 1990) for a guided tour learning the symbolism of the statues from Lenin, Marx and Engels, Friendships' and "liberations." We cover the ideas behind them and where they were placed in the city and for what reasons. Also at the park we will visit some exhibitions of communism related themes that is ever changing along with a real Trabant car that was originally designed to be a covered motorcycle and became a trademark as the "Hungarian family car!"

On the tour, we retell Hungarian history through events that "shook" the world - including the 1956 revolution, one of the main highlighted themes of the tour. Prior to the revolution in 1956 a plethora of events such as the War of Independence, the Great Compromise, WWI, and WWII gave huge significance to the meaning behind Hungary's quest for freedom. After delving into recent history we take a microscopic approach towards the newly appointed communist government after World War II who put in place the conditions that led to the events of the 1956 Revolution.

The tour leads you through the remembrance of the first protests and marches and the first shootings and killings that led the Hungarians to fight back against an unethical regime - as well as taking you through some of the major areas where all the action happened. Some of our stops and stories will be about our Liberty Square and Cardinal Mindszenty's part in the revolution as well as the significance of the square and the last remaining tribute to the Soviet Union!

At the memorial of Imre Nagy, we will remember the man who defied the leaders in Moscow and paid dearly on the gallows two years later. Another stop will be the Parliament area where shots were fired, which instigated the revolt to take up arms and defend one's freedom.

The 1956 Uprising was a short-lived battle on the streets but afterwards, many Hungarians maintained thoughts of freedom from communism and finally laid to rest the memories through the reburial of Imre Nagy leading to free elections and a return to a free society.

Also included on the tour is a visit to a private exhibition room, where we will introduce you to the real features of a Hungarian home through relics, typical furniture and furnishings. Furthermore, we have an extensive collection of many communist related artifacts and relics, such as red and blue passports, party member's registration book, pins, medals, currency and huge placards to help your understanding of the propaganda we once lived under!

The tour includes refreshment stop in a retro lounge.

Booking Terms and Cancellation Points:

Discounted pricing: Infant(s) free up to 2 years, children: 3-12 years special price, 13 years and older are charged at student price, student rate will require a valid student ID card when joining the tour.

Participants will need to be fit for light continuous walking, for up to 2 hours.

Visiting the exhibition room requires the ability to climb one flight of stairs (with handrail).

Tour goes in all weather conditions so please dress appropriately. Supplier not responsible for unforeseen delays or accidents.

Cancel up to 48 hours in advance for a full refund. No show or non-participation on the tour will not be refunded.

In case your accommodation is not centrally-located, the meeting point can be arranged at Absolute Tour Center 1065 Budapest, Lázár utca 16 or at previously agreed meeting point.